Benny the Chef

Story for Recipe of the month:

“Fagioli all’Uccelleto,” are a typical dish of Tuscan cuisine but also very popular in the Roman cooking. They are often served with roasted and braised meats or birds. In Rome we like to add some lard, sausages, or pork rind to the beans and eat with bread or focaccia. The name of this dish comes from a funny story. In the traditional Tuscan cuisine the birds were usually flavored with sage and aromatic herbs. The taste of these beans recall the flavor of those Tuscan style birds, but probably was more a way of wishing to eating more birds with the beans.

Recipe of the Month

Fagioli All'Uccelletto

Ingredients for 4 people:
1 lb of dried beans, cannellini or white (already soaked overnight in cold water)
4 cloves of crushed garlic
3 plum tomatoes
A bunch of fresh sage
Extra virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
Salt

Preparation:
In a large pot put the beans and enough cold water to cover them completely and bring to a simmer.
Cook for about 1 hour or until a film is formed on the surface of the water. The beans have to be crunchy and not too soft.
Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes and discard the seeds. Chop and smash them a little bit.
Now, in a large pot put 1/2 cup of oil, the garlic, and a bunch of ripped leaves of sage. Let it go over low heat for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.
Turn up the heat, add the tomatoes, and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add 3 cups of water, cover with a lid and continue cooking over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the beans and add to the sauce. Continue cooking and stirring until the beans start to “grumble.” The beans should be tender and the sauce thick.
Remove the pot from the heat, adjust with salt, and season with a lot of pepper. Serve the beans with a lot of bread and a drizzle with a little bit of oil.

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